Key holder



Jan. 31, 1939.

l. GELI-ER KEY HOLDER Filed March 2l, 1938 INVENTOR .f5/mc G EL L ER BY/f mgm ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 3l, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KEY nomma Isaac Geller, lfortland, Grot. Application March 21, 1938, Serial No. 197,054

4 Claims.

This invention relates to key-retainers and -carriers and specifically to key-retainers and -carriers which allow for the removal, when desired, of any key from its hanger without necessitating the removal of any other key or keyhanger. l

There are many disadvantages inherent in the key-holders of the types now in existence. In many of such key-holders no provision is made for the replacement of any key-hangers. In others the keys are hunched together so that it is diiicult to quickly locate any key desired. Still `others, though they provide means for replacement of any key-hanger desired, do not insure against the possible accidental removal of the key from the key-hanger. There are many other inherent disadvantages which need not be mentioned. Itis within the contemplation of the invention to overcome at least some of these disadvantages. 'Ihe invention provides a device which will permit the ready replacement of any damaged hangers, which positively prevents the bunching oi' keys and thus permits the quick location of a key whenever desired and, which positively insures against the accidental removal of any key from its respective hanger.

The arrangement of parts employed to give eiect to the invention not only affords adequate protection to the keys and allows for the complete freedom of manipulation, but also permits the removal or insertion of any key without in any particular aiecting the position or use of the remaining keys.

The quintessence of the invention is to provide a key-carrying and -supporting device which permits the removal of a key from the hanger on which it is strung only when the hanger is itself removed from the device and under no other circumstances.

A corollary object of the invention is to provide in a key-supporting and -retaining device of means for safeguarding against accidental removal of the hangers from the device and against accidental removal of the keys from the hangers.

An equally important object of the invention is to provide means which will prevent the removal oi' the keys from their hangers without rst releasing the hangers from their normal position.

A related object to the previous one is to provide means for readily removing one or all of the hangers from their respective slots so that keys may be easily strimg upon or removed from the hangers.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for supporting and retaining keys (Cl. '10e-456) therein in substantially parallel relationship and separate from each other and adapted -to be handled independently of each other unhampered in any way.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple but effective means for locking the keys in a retainer so that they cannot be removed or accidentally lost although they may be easily handled in use.

Another object of the 'invention is to provide hangers upon which keys may be strung which have at each of their ends cooperating rounded -members to form a swiveling member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a key case which is compactV and may be conveniently carried about the person.

Still another object of the invention is to permit the interchange 'of positions of hangers or their replacement or complete removal.

The invention is directed to other objects and possesses other features oi novelty and advantage, all of which will become readily apparent from the following description which must be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which may be considered as presenting one preferred and one modied exempliiication by which the invention may be realized and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective, front view of a keyholder embodying therpreferred form oi' the invention showing the ends of the slots covered by the locking member.

Figure 2 is a. side view of the key-holder shown in Figure 1 but with the slots uncovered.

Figure 3 is a side view of the key-holder shown in Figures 1 and 2 and a sectional side view of a representative case in which the key-holder is secured, showing the relative position of the keyholder in relation to said case.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a locking member employed to cover the ends of the slots as shown in figure 1.

Figure 5 is an elevational view of a key-hanger embodying the principles of the invention and adapted for engagement within the slots of the key-holder.

Figure 6 is a Itop, plan view of a modified form of key-holder embodying the principles of the invention, showing the mode of closing the open ends of the slots.

Figure 7 is a side view of the key-holder shown in Figure 6.

In the several views of the drawing the same 'Referring to Figure 2 of the drawing, it wiu be seen that the key-container or -holder, generally designated by reference character A, is secured to a case I. Case I is preferably made of leather or any other appropriate flexible material. It may be doubled upon itself as shown in Figure 3 to form covers 2 and 3. These covers may be secured together in any desirable manner as by the employment of fastenings of the type used on gloves, such as socket 4 and head 5 shown in locking relationship in Figure 3. Of course it is obvious that the zipper type of fastener may also be employed for the same purpose.

The key-container or -holder A is anchored to and supported by the case I in the following manner:

A reinforcing plate 8 is placed on top of the supporting section 1 of the case I and the main plate 8 of the key-container A is placed on top of the reinforcing plate 8. 'I'hese plates and the supporting section 'I of the case are secured together by any desirable means, as by rivets 9. The employment of reinforcing plate 8 not only anchors the key-container A and insures against its premature removal from case I, but also serves the additional purpose of providing a space I between the supporting section 1 and the main plate 8 in which the locking member hereinafter to be fully described freely moves.

A multi-slotted plate II is movably mounted in relation to main plate 8. Although any method of connecting the main plate 8 and multi-slotted plate II may be employed, the preferred method of connecting the two is through a hinge connection as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3. 'I'his connection consists of the usual curled portions I2 formed in main plate 8 and similar curled portions I3 formed in multi-slotted plate II. A pin I4 passes through the curled portions I2 and I3 and thereby hingedly joins main plate 8 and multi-slotted plate lI.

Plate II has a plurality of open-ended slots I5 cut out therein. These slots are positioned in parallel spaced relation to each other transversely of the plate II. A bead is formed in plate II by having the wall I6 rise vertically from the hinged connection and then gradually curve' downwardly as shown at I1. The remainder of the plate II assumes a horizontal relation to the upper portion of main plate 8 as shown at I8. By this construction the keyhangers of the type shown in Figure 5, generally designated by reference character B, which will subsequently be more fully described, are given the freedom of movement which is necessary to accommodate them in a at position and to permit quick access to the keys hung therefrom whenever desired.

In order to cover the open ends of the slots I5 and thus to prevent the removal of the hangers B and to prevent the moving of plate II on its hinge with respect to plate 8, a locking member I9 (see Figure 4) is pivotally or otherwise connected to the main plate 8 as shown in Figures l, 2, and 3. Locking member I9 consists of an ear 20 having an opening 2| therethrough. The main portion of locking member I9 is bent upon itself to form, between the parallel sides 22 and 23, a U-shaped channel 24. 'Ihe locking member, as stated before, is pivoted with relation to main plate 8 and is secured thereto by rivet 25, so that the ear 20 and side 23 may be positioned within the space Ill provided between the main plate 8 and the supporting section 1 of the case I. The width of the channel 24 formed between walls 22 and 23 is substantially equal to the combined thickness of main plate' 8 and multi-slotted plate II, so that, when it is desired to cover up the open ends of the slots I5 and to prevent the plates 8 and I I from being moved on their hinges, the locking member I9 is moved on its pivot so that the end-28 of plate 8 and the end 21 of multi-slotted plate II, fit snugly within the channel 24 in the manner shown in Figures 1 and 3.

To insure against the accidental removal of the ends 26 and 21 from the channel 24, there is provided within the multi-slotted plate II a recess (not shown), but of the type exposed in- Figure 6, hereafter to be more fully described. A boss 28 is formed at the end of wall 22 oi locking member I9, so that, when the locking member I9 is in closed position as shown in Figures 1 and 3 with the ends 26 and 21 of the hinged plates wedged into the channel, the boss 28 will register with and enter into the recess (not shown) formed in plate II. Of course it is obvious that some other provisions may be employed to perform the same function without departing from the spirit of the invention as a whole.

The key-hangers B employed with the keyholder A, possess the structural characteristics and contours shown in Figure 5. Each keyhanger B may be constructed of a resilient material or some other material adapted for hanging a key thereon. The key-hangers are bent upon themselves to form a tear-drop link as shown at 29 and have the lower sections 30 and 3| substantially parallel with each other. The ends 32 and 33 respectively of sections 30 and 3I each have a hemispherical head 34 and 35 respectively, and these heads are positioned with respect to each other so that the iiat portions 38 and 31 of the split heads 34 and 35 coincide to form a spherical, slidable swivel, when the hangers B are placed within the slots I5. Keys, represented fancifully in Figure 1 by key 38, are hung upon hangers B by being passed over one of the hemispherical heads. One hanger B is inserted within each of the slots I5 as shown in Figures l, 2, and 3 and slide freely therein. When the hangers B are positioned within the slots I5 and the open ends of the slots are covered by locking member I9, each hanger has complete freedom of movement within its slot. This arrangement facilitates the handling of each key hung upon its respective hanger B. This freedom is possible in view of the fact that the over- Aall diameter of the two hemispherical heads,

while substantially greater than the Width of the slots is not so great as to hamper the movement of the hanger B within the slot. In fact, the hangers, when inserted within the slots, ride freely therein, but at the same time, cannot be removed therefrom without first exposing the open ends of the slots. It is pointed out that, while this type of swivel connection is preferred, it is obvious that some other means may be provided for retaining the hangers B within the slots without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A slightly modified form of the invention, generally designated by reference character C, is shown in Figures 6 and 7. From these figures it will be observed that a plate 39 is disposed on top of reinforcing plate 8 and that the reinforcing plate 8, the supporting section 1 of the case I and plate 39 are secured together in any desirable manner as by rivets 8. Plate 39 possesses slightly different structural characteristics from those possessed by plate Il. Plate 39 has a plurality of open-ended slots 40 formed therein and disposed in spaced parallel relationship to each other..

The plate, when secured as aforementioned, has the major portion of its body substantially horizontal but curves upwardly as shown at 4l and then downwardly as shown at 42 to form a transverse bead, and iinally has its end 43 formed substantially parallel to the maj or portion of its body. Hangers B are swivelly and slidably disposed within slots 49, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. A pair of right angle locking members 44 and 45 are pivotally or otherwise connected to the at major portion of plate 39. Each of these locking members has the same structural characteristics, therefore a description of one should suffice for the other. Each right angle locking member possesses an ear 46, an arm 41 extending from said ear, a reinforcing rib `48 extending upwardly from the edge of said arm, and another arm 49 formed at right angles to arm 41. Arm 49 has an elongated portion 5I! extending inwardly therefrom adapted to engage with the end 43 of plate 39 as shown in Figure 7. When the locking members are in locked position with respect to the plate 39, each of these locking members 44 and 45 is pivoted to plate 39 by means of rivets 5I. It will be seen from Figures 6 and 'I that, when the locking members 44 and 45 are moved on their pivot so that they engage with the end 43 of plate 39, the open end 52 of each of the slots is covered, thus preventing the hangers B from being removed from .the slots. It is of course obvious that, when the open end of the slots are exposed, it is a simple matter to remove the hangers from the slots,'as shown in Figure 6. While the plate 39 is so constructed that, when the end 43 is secured under the overhanging portion 53, a substantially tight connection is provided, due to the spring action of the end 43 of plate 39, an additional precautionary measure is employed to secure against the unintentional unlocking of the locking members. This is accomplished by placing at the end of each arm 49 oi' the locking members, bosses 33 which coincide and register with recesses 34 placed within the end 43 of plate 39, as shown in Figure 6. When both locking bars are positioned as the locmng member 43 is positioned in Figure 6, the boss 33 will enter into the recess 54. This insures against the unlocking or the locking members without rst removing the bosses from the recesses.

It must be understood that neither the form disclosed nor the number of hangers employed in the drawing should be considered as a limitation to the invention since neither the form nor the number of hangers can change the general aspects of the invention.

From the foregoing description, it will undoubtedly appear that the invention as described satisfies the objects and points out the advantages inherent in the invention, and while the same has been described in connection with ansprei'erred and one modiiled embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that variants thereof are possible to those skilled in the art. The invention, therefore, in its broader aspect, is not limited to the speciiic construction herein disclosed and described since changes and alterations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and upon which I desire to secure Letters Patent is:

1. In a key-container of the class described, a pair of plates hingedly secured to each other, one of said plates having a plurality of transversely disposed open-ended slots formed therein, said plate being spaced apart from the other` plate forl at least half of its width, a plurality of keyhangers slidably and pivotally movable within said slots, and meanspivotally secured to the other of said plates and lockably engageable with the slotted plate adapted for covering the open ends of the slots to prevent the removal of the keyhangers and for locking the plates against movement with respect to each other.

2. A key-container of the class described, comprising, a main plate, a multi-slotted plate hingedly secured thereto, 'said multi-slotted plate having a plurality of transversely disposed openended'slots disposed therein in parallel relation with each other, said plate being beaded transversely throughout its width to thereby provide a spacing between said plates, a plurality of hangers slidably and swivellyA movable within said slots, said hangers comprising a member bent upon itself, means secured at the ends or said member for forming a swivel thereon, a locking member pivotally secured to the main plate and swingably movable with respect to said plate, said locking member having a channel-way therein adapted to engage both of said plates to thereby cover the open ends of said slots, and means for insuring against the accidental disengagement of said locking member, said locking member, when in locked position, adapted to prevent the removal of the key-hangers from said slots.

3. In a key case of the class described, a main plate, a beaded plate movably secured thereto. said beaded plate having a plurality of transversely disposed open-ended slots formed therein, key holding means slidably and pivotally disposed within said slots, and a pair of locking members pivotally secured to said plate adapted, when in closed position, to cover the open ends lo! the slots and thereby to prevent the removal of the keyholding means. f Y

4. A key case as set forth in claim 3 wherein each o! said locking members comprises a pair of arms integrally formed at right angles to each other, an overlapping, elongated portion formed on one of said arms adapted for engagement with the multi-slotted plate and a boss at the end o! said elongated portion and extending downwardly therefrom. 

